News

October 2, 2014

Nova Scotia assembly oldest in Canada

It was on this day in 1758 that Governor Charles Lawrence convenes the first meeting of the Nova Scotia Legislature in the Halifax Court House.

The legislature sat until April 11, 1759, was dissolved later that year on August 13.

Its members had been elected in the 1758 election.

This is the first popularily elected Parliament in Canadian history.

Canada Post issued a five-cent stamp issued October 2, 1958, featuring the mace and the Speaker’s chair. The stamp was released to honour the bicentennial of the first House of Representatives which met in Halifax.

Credit for the design was given to Carl Dair and Gerald Mathew Trottier.